Lee with the cast of Driven.

source

I forgot to reblog it. :) 

Oh, @fortunatelyclevercandy… What are you doing…?

Updates.

Oh. Really, @fortunatelyclevercandy. Okay.

Newsfeed #80 January 13, 2016 (13 Valanya)

The Mirkwood Legacy: Bringing Mirkwood to Life

It may seems as if it has been a while and it has–as interest in The Kingdom of the Woodland Realm Trilogy continues to grow, it has become increasingly harder to write. It was last Sunday I was sent a lot of interview questions to a Canadian author, new reader come along every day now and recently, the weather hasn’t been too good as there was a power outage in my city and recovery has been painfully slow. Add to the recent political development, staying online is harder at the moment.

As Book II: The Saga of Thranduil once more comes to an end in a few chapters, it is by no means the end of Thranduil. I know the moment 34 chapters of the life and times of Thranduil are complete, the second phase will begin. For me, that means an unprecedented sea of activity spiraling around me. I do not know where to start, honestly. Thranduil has changed so much in over 500 pages. It has gotten some wonderful reviews from readers and other writers. To come from nothing to this moment is still hard to fathom. But he has more work to do in order to bring Mirkwood’s history out of the shadow into light.

Right now, the world demands a completion date. As I am 6 ½ chapters to the end of Book II by my estimation, he will be completed no later than late February or Mid March. Book II will have an estimated length of at least 480 pages if not making it to the 500 mark (without the extended version). I cannot say how long it would be with the Extended version but expect two versions of Book III: The Last Tale of Legolas Lasgalen. Book I should only have one version.

Right now I’m testing the use of the queue so I may post more excerpts than one or so. I finally understand how it works (slightly) but the use of that will be helpful for now as I look to several sources to create a webpage for The Kingdom of the Woodland Realm Trilogy (TBA).

You are not saying good-bye to Thranduil–just his story. He will return to Book I and Book III. Book I, he is born and raised. In Book III, he raises Legolas. It has not been decided which version of Thranduil’s story will become the official novel, but due to the increasing interest in Thranduil’s daughter, Isílriel Elenáre Thranduiliel, she may become part of the original story.

It has been a long journey that happened unexpectedly and change many things in my life and to others. To ensure it is not wasted, it will be presented to the experts (where it is highly anticipated) and with their blessing, it will go to The Tolkien Estate for consideration. I had hoped to do all three books to present, but the demand for Book II: The Saga of Thranduil has grown to near fever pitch. So it will be prepared to go into the world first upon completion of the book and the editing. The annotated version will wait until all the characters are decided (and some changes have been made–though not drastic ones). New ones have appeared in what is “old” Book III with the introduction of Aurëwyn, the wife of Bard II*, and their son Bain. There is a special appearance of Thorin III Stonehelm and his son Durin VII. I would try to keep up if you do read the story. As with any Middle-Earth story, there are generations of Elves, Men and Dwarves and even a new Maiar.

The story has not ended. I has just begun. I look forward to many things to come.–J.

*Bard II, son of Brand, son of Bain, son of Bard (BOTFA). The last “Bain” is a new character, part of the Bardings (Sons of Bard).

What do you know? The Queue worked. So I'm going to use it. Good thing, too. Ice storm going on here all weekend.❄️🌬 I never know when I'll lose power.

Newsfeed #48 May 25, 2016

The Story Within a Story (and other stuff): Updates

First of all, due to the Leap Year (and for some weird reason calendars all over the place actually changing things–including the actual solstices) the new completion deadline for Book II: The Saga of Thranduil got moved to June 25. I know, a whole day. Trust me, it can make a difference–especially since where I live I am always interrupted by those annoying tornadoes and such. Good thing most of Book II was already done–its just the order and changes the can be rather tedious.

Secondly, yes, Legolas has been born. He now is in the story again. Just not talking yet.

The biggest change is the Journals of Legolas (which is part of the Writings) but some of it is part of Book III. Known as “Trenarn o Legolas Lasgalen, Ernil o Mirkwood”, it is currently ambiguous as to all that is in it, but some things have been “released” in parts. How to present that on top of all else, I don’t know yet. Alongside this, there are a myriad of other things added–some small, others much bigger–the Trilogy continues growing.

By the way, another chapter had to be added–again, more written than originally thought. As of today, it is 19 chapters long (though in the end it will be longer than the actual Hobbit book (which has 20 chapters).

I think that’s it for the moment. Tornadoes, you know.–J.

Brief update. Watching 🌪. Scary. Anyway, just an update I can do while preparing for living in the basement from tornadoes. We're having an outbreak.

Newsfeed #17 February 23, 2016

UPDATE: I Told You. Legolas Lasgalen Thranduilion comes beautifully so you do not kill me.

Oops, I did it again. I played with your heart and got lost in the game…or I just added another Chapter making Mirkwood the first Chapter in book ii of Book II The Saga of Thranduil. I also moved stuff around because I like making things more complicated–or I had to in order fit everything together as best as I can and try to make things shorter because of the current wave of short attention spans, Do not feel bad. 

I have ADHD and Insomnia. The fact I have done this much in almost 8 months with this much detail and have memorized literally the entire history of my elves in Eryn Galen/Mirkwood/Eryn Lasgalen is like the Miracle of Fatima or something.

Here we go again. Probably the VERY LAST TIME (Here):

Book II: The Saga of Thranduil (Chapter Titles) Chapter I: I am Thranduil Chapter II: Passing of Seasons  Chapter III: Awakening  Chapter IV: Love in Eryn Galen  Chapter V: Starlight and Fire Moon (Silme ar Nárisil)  Chapter VI: Son of the King  Chapter VII: Wedding of the Ages  Chapter VIII: Winds of War Chapter IX: The Last Days in Eryn Galen Chapter X: The Alliance of Elves, Men and Dwarves Chapter XI: The March to Dagorlad Chapter XII: War of the Last Alliance Chapter XIII: Return to Eryn Galen Chapter XIV: King of the Woodland Realm Chapter XV: Legolas Lasgalen Chapter XVI: Losing Êlúriel Chapter XVII: Mirkwood*

*Mirkwood begins Book II of Book II. (See Elrond Post)

Oh I'm back. I just had to add some things. So you have 17 chapters. And the dwarves, elves and men come sooner. Sort of worked out, though. Book ii of Book II actually begins where it should. With Mirkwood.😃

Newsfeed #16 February 22, 2016

The Shortest Update You Will Ever See Maybe: Changes and Information

First thing: Will be posting first part of Chapter IX tonight before I post a change in chapters (again). Most writers (including myself) usually don’t have enough story often and need to add and feel compelled to bang their head against the nearest hard object due to drawing blanks. With the TKWR, I have not had that problem. I have so much that either I have to make chapters longer or space them out. This does nothing to change the book within a book numbers. The first book of Book II will still end at Chapter XVI (16).

I notice some don’t get read at a certain length. Then in the actual book form, you’ll be disappointed as some (including and especially Chapter 1) have way more to them. Right now, you are seeing parts of chapters (and the longest is 25 pages). I just decided to grow Thranduil in a hurry seeing as interest in him as a child is nothing to what most of my original readers know about Legolas as a child. Yes, he’s absolutely adorable. TKWR is original in the sense that we see elven children running around everywhere. We see them grow up beginning with Thranduil and ending with the last generation of Mirkwood.

Second thing: Book III: Beyond Eryn Lasgalen has a secret Pinterest Board. Closing in on starting the next blog for the trilogy (remember–news about it will be here) Deciding the next blog will be Book III was not hard as parts of it are written. Book I: The History of Eryn Galen–some interest to several people, I noticed–has some things but the delay now lies some changes made in Book II relevant to Book I though some of it has been written as well. The lengths of Book I and Book II are unknown as with Book II at the moment, though currently, here it is 123 pages–in reality, it is about 300+ pages. When the board opens, so will the blog. I will tell you that here.

Third thing: Yeah, we added elves. You met 4 of the 9 new dwarves yesterday. Whenever you add a new character, things get jumbled. There are at last count 88+ new elves (mostly from Eryn Galen and Ossiriand). There are also humans and one peredhel (or half-elf). The humans are from Brethil and Esgaroth (later) and having to add some generations of dwarves is going to be rather interesting as the appendix itself is as long as the shortest chapter here. We also have horses, refilled the Heren Istarion with one wizard* to replace one lost (Saruman) and an orc.

Taking into account the War of the Last Alliance begins the reintroduction of canonical characters, you see that this is either a) a new gut wrenching epic adventure extending the life of Middle Earth, b) something I decided to do on a rainy day–read lots of Tolkien, uncover new things, write them up and make up new and impossible names to pronounce and complicate an already complicated epic or c) drag Tolkien fans unmercifully back into a world everyone thought ended with the The Hobbit Trilogy films (which cracks me up seeing as the Hobbit was the beginning of everything whereas the LOTR was the end–seriously, really?) by rocking the Tolkien boat with Tolkien via telling details that are already known to anyone who read through 21 volumes of Middle Earth History in a new narrative in hopes of getting his Estate and PJ back into another something or another (not).

Either way, you will see me again. Okay, so this wasn’t the shortest. Maybe next time.–J.

*You only see him once, he has a name. The Heren Istarion must always have five wizards.

Okay, I suck at titling the newsfeed. Nothing to see here. Something about a wizard and Book III. Chapter IX coming later tonight. Oh the fun you'll have trying to figure out stuff soon. Just as I do. I have to use my own appendix to remember people. Sorry about the 18 Princes. I should have known better.😱📚📝